A detailed description and pros/cons list of electoral systems in the UK. These are my notes that I used for my A Level Government and Politics paper 1 exam. They are A* material and included specific examples which are needed to get the top grade. It includes pictures which are proven to increase ...
electoral systems
ForSagainstFPTP
FOR strongandstable government AGAINST Disproportionality is undemocratic
FPTP majoritariansystem producesmajoritygovt FPTP seatsare not representative of votes cast
16119govtsince1945havebeenstrong singlegovt Provides inna
curatemeasurement of thegeneralwill
example2019GEcon won365seats soseatmajority ofthe people disproportionate ProtJohnCurtis
RESULT canimplementmanifestoitwaselected lotteryelections
on Johnson Brexitandimmigrationquickly 4 often leads to underrepresentation e.gGreens
responsivegovt generalwillofthepeople in2019 and overrepresentation contSNP2019 or
stablegovt Italy'sPRsaw21collapsedgovt no rep Brexitparty2019won2 ofvotewithno
in justover30years 2020 eats createsundemocraticcomposition ofMPs inHoc
HOWEVER FPTPhasproduced2unstable
govt in last 4 HOWEVER disproportionalityissmallpricetopayforstrong
GE Cameron 2010 May 20171 govtTends togivepowerto catchall partiesthat
stable
appeal to largestpartofelectorate PR unstable e.g
Avoidsundemocratic coalitions Italy 21govt in under30yrs
coalitions unstable horsetradingofmanifesto
promises gives the juniorcoalitionpartner masspower Majority
govt on minoritymandates
small c constyleofconstitutionallows aLeviathanstyle
UNDEMOCRATIC power Electivedictatorship Blair1997 43.21votesnare i aseat
majorityJohnson2019 4361voteshare soseatmajority56.41didn't
MinteÉÉÉns snpcoalitionwithGreenParty
TootPait supportBoris
HOWEVER peoplesuchasERSsuggest that a coalition bring safe seats andwastedvotes
a widerrangeof politicalviewsfromthe public Argues 2typesofirrelevantwaitedvotesvoteforlosingcandidates surplus
thatFPTPcreatesa democraticdeficit currentcongovt holdan votesforcandidatesthathavealreadywon
80seatmajoritywithjust43.6 ofthevote FPTP winnertakesan system In 2019GE SheffieldHallam
651didn'tvoteLabouryettheywonlootofrepresentation
ERS70 ofvotesinzoladidn'tcontribute toelectinganMp
offers real democratic responsibility 2019GE overabtof865,000GreenPartyvoteswerewasted
PrimeMinisters cansack an incumbent govt Safeseats voterapathyvoterabstentation lackoffaithindemos
by votingfor the opposition in next GE PR unpopularincreasedsupportforradicalgroups complacencyofMPs
govtcan stillholdpowervia coalitions negotiations etc LabaccusedoftakingthenorthernvoteforgrantedoverBrexitpolicy
Major's Con govt weresacked in1997GE HOWEVER
after economic mismanagement andsleaze Pollssuggest safeseatscanhavechangedLeigh2019wentconafteraroundacentury
Sunan's currentgovt tobesackednextGEafterPG Labourduetoconservativesred
wallvoteraimedpolicies
Trussenomics and ofliving
cost crisis
MPs the electorate are able to sack or tacticalvoting
re elect an Mpbasedon their performance underPRdoesn'thappenas allvotecount
FPTP singlememberplurality directline of ERS 301ofallvotersactedin atactical
accountability LibDemleaderJoSwinton wassacredmannerin2019Thissnowsunderstandingfrom
in 2019byconstituents inEastDunbartonshire This electoratethattheirvote is powerlessunless
is impossible insomeparty listsystemsleg closed theyvoteforan establishment party Reinfories
Lists in AMsin Scotland duopoly ofwestminster
HOWEVER ProfJohnCurtis UKelectionsare lottery LSEsuggests
HOWEVER reasearonfrom
elections Party can besackedevenif
they win pop votingisonlyanissuein asmall
tactical
vote 1951 Labgovtsained won4.8.81 compared to p number ofseats
Conwon481 Difficultto sacksafeseats 101 haven't
changed hands in over a century
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